Back in 2006, the federal Office of Surface Mining approved an expansion for the ColoWyo mine near Craig. But a May court ruling in favor of the environmental group Wild Earth Guardians will force a new examination for the environmental impact of that expansion.
“What we hope happens is that the Interior Department steps up and more broadly states to the American public that, from here on out, they will meaningfully take into account the coal-burning impacts of its mining and leasing decisions,” said Jeremy Nichols of Wild Earth Guardians.
Nichols says his group has similar lawsuits in Montana and New Mexico awaiting rulings. The federal government has just under four months to reconsider the environmental impact and seek public comment.
